Supply Chain Now
Episode 1081

The more you can vet organizations, and take a step back and think before acting, the more certain you can be that your relief will reach the right people with the right needs at the right point in time.

- Koray Kose, Gartner

Episode Summary

The Supply Chain Buzz is Supply Chain Now’s regular Monday livestream, held at 12n ET each week. This show focuses on some of the leading stories from global supply chain and global business, always with special guests – the most important of which is the live audience!

This week’s edition of The Buzz featured hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson, but not regular co-host Greg White, who was still celebrating the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl win. The show also featured a special appearance by Koray Kose from Gartner and Selin Kapan-Green from Turkish Philanthropy Funds talking about the devastating earthquake that recently struck Turkey and Syria.

In this livestream, created in collaboration with a live Supply Chain Now audience, Scott and Kevin discussed:

• The initiative that is underway to incentivize partnerships between American companies and suppliers in Central America as a way of addressing the root causes of mass migration

• How bad actors in Mexico are trying to illicitly cash in on green gold in the form of avocados – and how law enforcement is fighting back

• The immediate on-the-ground efforts to save lives in Turkey and Syria, as well as how people around them world can most effectively support them

Episode Transcript

Intro/Outro (00:00:03):

Welcome to Supply Chain. Now, the voice of global supply chain Supply chain now focuses on the best in the business for our worldwide audience, the people, the technologies, the best practices, and today’s critical issues, the challenges and opportunities. Stay tuned to hear from Those Making Global Business Happen right here on supply chain now.

Scott Luton (00:00:31):

Hey, good morning, good afternoon, good evening, Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson here with you on Supply Chain. Now, welcome to today’s livestream, Kevin, how are you doing?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:00:40):

I’m recovering. Isn’t this recovery Monday after Super Bowl Sunday?

Scott Luton (00:00:44):

<laugh>, I’ll tell ya. It has been, uh, it’s been a busy weekend, huh?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:00:49):

Yeah. Yeah. And that was a good game. You know, sometimes you worried about if, um, wasting my time looking at the, looking at the game. But it was really good game back and forth. Good, good skills. I mean, that su the, uh, halftime show was, uh, was really good. Uh, I mean, I, I enjoyed yesterday. I had too many wings.

Scott Luton (00:01:10):

<laugh>. Well, congrats. As you brought up. Of course, the big game, uh, the Super Bowl where the Chiefs took on the Eagles and Chiefs pulled it out, uh, right last night.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:01:20):

Greg is in yelling <laugh>, I, I, I heard something, you know, knitty in right there. That’s probably him.

Scott Luton (00:01:27):

<laugh>, undoubtedly. So big congrats to Greg White, who is on assignment today, as we like to say, and all of the Kensey chief’s, uh, fandom. Uh, and Kevin, it was good to see you Friday, uh, Friday night as we, uh Oh, yeah. Made a, a trip to, to DC and you and I were able to, to grab dinner and, and lots of camaraderie.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:01:45):

Oh, oh, that was great. Thank you very much for, for coming up. I mean, we had some great oysters, and the steak was awesome. Superb. Um, so, uh, we, you know, it was, it was nice warm, e warm February evening, um, uh, in, in the DC the nation’s capitol we’re about a, a block from the White House. And, uh, yeah, it was great to, uh, spend some time together there. Uh, uh, Scott,

Scott Luton (00:02:10):

Well, really enjoyed it, and thanks for your hospitality. But folks, hey, uh, welcome to today’s show. It’s a very special edition of the Supply Chain Buzz. So, as always, every Monday at 12 noon Eastern time, uh, me and the team, uh, bring you the latest news and developments across global business. But today, uh, Kevin, we’re gonna spend a lot of time, uh, discussing the, the really heartbreaking disaster that’s unfolding in Turkey and Syria. Um, of course, that’s been caused by that tremendous earthquake, uh, about a week or so ago. Uh, it’s, it’s just to see the footage coming in and, and the updates on the casualty numbers. It’s just really, uh, heartbreaking. We’ve got, Kevin, when we get your take on just a second, but we’ve got a couple special guests joining us around 1222. Who <laugh>? We’re, we’re a bit exact around here, about

Kevin L. Jackson (00:02:56):

12 20, 12, 25, 20 12, 22 0.5. Okay.

Scott Luton (00:03:00):

Yes. The pilot in You is coming out <laugh>, but kidding aside, we’re gonna be talking about relief operations and how you can help are listeners everywhere. So, um, so join us as we put the light on that. So, Kevin, I’ll tell you, it, it’s just been, um, uh, painful to see what’s been taking place over the last week, uh, there in te uh, uh, Turkey and Syria in the region, right?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:03:24):

Yeah. You know, one of the, uh, things, I mean, it’s, it’s bad enough to have to deal with the natural disaster, something you have real no control over, right? But, uh, I hear all the reports about the, the buildings that didn’t meet code, even though there was laws in place, uh, to p prevent these buildings from Paning and something they called architectural amnesty. Mm. Where even though the buildings were being built under the law, uh, the builders were basically given amnesty not to follow the, uh, requirements for, for earthquakes. And Hmm. And I guess up to two thirds of the buildings that actually collapsed were under this amnesty. Hmm. That, that doesn’t make any sense. So that’s, that’s like a manmade layer of disaster. Mm-hmm. <affirmative> on, on, on top of this natural catastrophe.

Scott Luton (00:04:26):

Well, we’re gonna learn a lot more. And again, I think my favorite part of this conversation, the theory could be a favorite one, but we’re gonna be offering ways for anyone to help, no matter how, how many resources you have, how little resources, it doesn’t matter. Um, you know, uh, because help, lots of help is needed. So stay tuned again, about 12 20, 12 25. We have got a couple of guests joining us. Um, all right, so let’s say hello to a few folks. And then we’re gonna share a couple program notes, and then we’re gonna, uh, tackle a couple, um, news stories. And then Kevin, uh, we’re gonna talk a little bit about cloud computing. So we gotta, we’ve got a fast moving, uh, episode, the supply chain buzz here today. Um, first, absolutely. Kevin, if you’re buckled up, I wanna say hello to Christine in the Bronx. Christine, great to have you back with us. <laugh>, you got your seatbelt on. I see

Kevin L. Jackson (00:05:14):

I my seatbelt on

Scott Luton (00:05:15):

<laugh> Prana, uh, tuned in via LinkedIn from Nepal. Great to see you here. Of course, we’ve got, um, Amanda and Catherine behind the scenes making things happen. Really appreciate what they do. And hey, Leah Luton, uh, from Aiken, South Carolina says, heard a lot of great things about you. Kevin would love to meet you one day. How about Kevin? You Well,

Kevin L. Jackson (00:05:35):

We gonna make that happen. Absolutely. But I don’t know, Scott, you know, he’d be saying things about me. I’m at the treatment. <laugh>,

Scott Luton (00:05:43):

Your ears may have been burning. I, I, I was bragging about those, uh, stone crab, uh, uh, dish we had, but, hey.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:05:50):

Oh, they were sweet too.

Scott Luton (00:05:52):

Oh man. Or something. Um, Chris Stout. Come, uh, tune in from Chicago via LinkedIn. LinkedIn, great to see you. Chris. Uh, Annie, tune from Toronto via LinkedIn. Ahmad Ahed, Ahed from Egypt via LinkedIn. Great to see y’all. Um, okay, so let’s do this. Let’s, uh, share a couple of, um, programming notes. Folks, we want to invite you to join us March 21st, webinar on five tips for creating effective digital content. We’ve got Ursula Ringo from s a p, and Brandy Boatner from I B M. We’ve got the link to join in the chat, and we’d welcome y’all to join us. Um, also, Kevin, speaking of resources, US Bank Freight Payment Index for fourth quarter 22, uh, 2022 is now available, uh, chock full of insights from the domestic freight market, uh, from late last year. And folks, it’s easy. You can download it for free. You can go to freight.usbank.com and, uh, get your own copy there. Okay. Kevin, have you been managing your fleet lately, your fleet effectively, uh, lately?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:06:54):

<laugh>, you know, I haven’t been too effective in anything lately. Ask my wife. So, <laugh>, <laugh>,

Scott Luton (00:07:01):

I, I

Kevin L. Jackson (00:07:01):

Doubt I’ve been trying,

Scott Luton (00:07:03):

Man. I don’t believe that for a single minute. I do not believe that for a single minute. Um, all right. So, Kevin, I wanna do this. We gotta get through a lot of content to help inform, uh, our listenership. We

Kevin L. Jackson (00:07:14):

Got 10 pounds in a five pound bag today,

Scott Luton (00:07:17):

Man. We sure do. But, um, we wouldn’t have it any other way. So let’s hit our first news story of the day. In fact, I’m gonna hit three news stories that folks should be tracking, Kevin mm-hmm. <affirmative>. And then I’m gonna give you a chance to comment on the other side. Okay? So bear with me. Oh, here’s me, like the micro machine man from the eighties. Remember that commercial, Kevin

Kevin L. Jackson (00:07:37):

<laugh>? Yeah. Yeah.

Scott Luton (00:07:38):

All right. So first off, according to our friends at Supply Chain Dive, 47 companies thus far have committed to participating in Vice President Harris’s call to action for Northern Central America. It’s a broad attempt at creating more opportunity in the region to address some of the root causes of mass migration. Uh, for example, target as committed to increase its spend with its suppliers in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras by 300 million by 20 20 33. How about that? Wow,

Kevin L. Jackson (00:08:09):

That’s huge.

Scott Luton (00:08:11):

Uh, Columbia Sportswear will spend as much as $200 million on products, uh, from the Northern Central America region, which they say will result in almost 7,000 jobs. So, Kevin, that is making quite an impact. Um, or, yeah. Will a, a future impact? Your quick thoughts there, Kevin?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:08:29):

Our time that we, you know, understand and focus and support the, the, um, our, our hemisphere in, in south, uh, America. Right. And, uh, economics is, is, is critical to, not just to the globe, of course, but to, uh, peace and stability in this part of the world.

Scott Luton (00:08:48):

Yeah. Well said. Well said. All right. Uh, I mentioned these will be quick hitters, so I’m gonna move into the second news story. And this is, uh, comes to us reported by the commercial carrier journal, bit of a new, uh, a little bit of news on the autonomous trucking front. So, embark trucks, stick with me here for a minute, Kevin. Embark Trucks, which is an autonomous trucking tech startup, try to say that seven Times Fast has delivered its first Smart Truck to Knight Swift Transportation. Now the carrier’s gonna own and operate the autonomous capable tractor offering critical data gathering to both embark trucks and, uh, the carrier itself, Knight Swift Transportation. Now, embark, c e o was quoted as saying that the initial step of the partnership will help the company, quote, move from the r and d and pilot phase towards commercial, uh, commercialization in quote. So, Kevin, yeah. Uh, really important as we’re, you know, rolling out something that’s gonna change the game eventually, as much as autonomous trucking will, uh, will, you know, all that critical Yeah. Data gathering to, to figure out how to best commercialize the technology. Right. It’s

Kevin L. Jackson (00:09:54):

Critical. Right? Right. Absolutely. And all underlying, all of this is artificial intelligence. Um, and like last week, I guess, Microsoft Bing launched their version with chat, uh, G P T. Yep. Artificial intelligence is slipping into every aspect of our, our lives. So, um, you know, uh, be aware. Be aware.

Scott Luton (00:10:18):

Be aware. Good way to be. Um, alright, uh, let’s see here. We’re gonna say hello to Shelly Phillips tuned in from Colorado, one of our faves around here, uh, via LinkedIn. Kevin, you’ve seen Shelly numerous times, uh, when you’ve been on the show with us, right? Yeah.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:10:33):

Yes, absolutely. Welcome.

Scott Luton (00:10:35):

And Brandy Priest is back from Texas. I wanna say Central Texas. I enjoyed her perspective not too long ago. So great to have you here. Uh, Brandy, um, okay, so Kevin, we are gonna, we’re moving right along here, moving at the, uh, speed of light it feels. But this is a interesting story. So this comes to us from our dear friend, uh, great read by Kelly Barner and the Procurement Buzz. I like that title. <laugh>. Um, so Kevin, get this, this, she writes on the, all about the dark side of the Super Bowl guacamole supply chain. So this is a bit eye-opening, and we’re not gonna do it justice here in a, in a couple minutes, but, uh, we’ll point y’all to the, the full article. So, did you know that 20% of annual avocado sales in the US take place in one weekend? So, oh, wow. Can you believe that? 20%. Um, now Mexico farmers have to up shipping volumes, some 30 to 40% in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl weekend to meet that demand, to

Kevin L. Jackson (00:11:37):

Meet your demand.

Scott Luton (00:11:37):

But Kevin, bad actors, and there’s, there’s too many of ’em these days, it seems they see an immediate opportunity to cash in on the green gold, as Kelly writes about. And two, to now, this is gonna blow your mind, two to three 10 ton trucks filled with avocados are stolen per day during this football driven busy season. Wow. Wow. So folks, that’s just a tip of the iceberg. You can read a lot more, uh, you can read a lot more about the avocado supply chain in the latest procurement buzz, which we have just dropped in the chat. All right? So, Kevin, can you believe

Kevin L. Jackson (00:12:12):

That? Did you know that there was a guacamole cartel? Right?

Scott Luton (00:12:17):

Evidently <laugh> man. Um, this

Kevin L. Jackson (00:12:21):

Is, this is, uh, this, you know, there is the undersides in every aspect of, of every business. I mean, you know, we’re, we’re human, unfortunately. So, uh, uh, you, you have to though understand your business processes, the origin of all your, of, of your, your content and components of what, whatever product you’re bringing the market, and you have to do your best to. That’s, that’s, um, support the, the social goals, uh, that will, will help our global society,

Scott Luton (00:12:55):

Right? And, and make sure you’re fully aware of all the different risk. There’s always risk in your blind spot, right? Yes. And we’ve gotten, yes, seems like, uh, not to, not to put too much of a generalization around it, but we’ve gotten a little bit better and better understanding risk at least. But, uh, man, it’s unbelievable this read. So folks, don’t take our word for it. You can check out, uh, the link to the dark side of the Super Bowl, walk supply chain via the, uh, the procurement buzz. Check that out. And also sfa, great to see you here via LinkedIn tuned in from Bangladesh. Um, okay. And Shelly also agreed great reading avocados. She had no idea it was that dangerous. Kelly always brings it. Shelly, I wholeheartedly agree with you, Kelly and Kevin both always bring it. It’s like the US mail,

Kevin L. Jackson (00:13:42):

The Ks, always bring it, man. Don’t you know, <laugh>?

Scott Luton (00:13:45):

Well, so speaking of Kevin, what a great segue. Speaking of, I wanna pick your brain. We’ve got an opportunity to share some of your expertise before, again, folks, we’re gonna bringing on a couple of dear friends and special guests here in just about 10 minutes as we talk more about, uh, the ongoing earthquake recovery operations and relief initiatives in Turkey and Sirius. So stay tuned, uh, momentarily. Um, alright. So Kevin, one last topic before we bring on our guest. Did you know that the global cloud supply chain management market is set to hit some 10.3 billion by 2030, just seven years away? Seven years over 10 billion. So, Kevin, as we’ve said pre-show, you’ve literally written the book on cloud computing. Several of them, if I’m not mistaken. So help our listeners out. Um, Kevin, if I were to pose this question to you, you know, what are three, just three of the top things that leaders should consider when implementing cloud solutions in their organization? What would your take be?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:14:47):

Well, the very first thing I’d, I’d like to say is that a lot of people think cloud is a fad of the pass, right? Cloud computing is so, you know, 2020 <laugh> 2021. But it’s, the number one thing is don’t ignore the cloud because it is the foundation for all of the advanced business capabilities and functions that all businesses want to implement. Things like what we were just talking about, artificial intelligence and robotic process engineering, um, and, and search things like, you know, search all of that is possible and enabled by cloud computing. So you still need to know and understand cloud computing. Yep. The, the number, number two thing is that, don’t be confused. Cloud computing is not about technology. Okay? <laugh> people, people always wanna say, well, that’s a techy thing. No, <laugh> cloud

Scott Luton (00:15:52):

<laugh>, you’ve been quoting me, Kevin, you’re

Kevin L. Jackson (00:15:55):

Quoting me. Yeah. Okay. That 10.3 billion by 2030, I think that’s a low ball number. Okay? Um, because cloud computing is about implementing new business models, and that, that all the time, it means redesigning your existing business models. If you don’t do that, you are not leveraging the advantages of cloud computing. So cloud computing is about business, it’s not about technology. Um, and finally, if you’re gonna leverage the cloud and you’re gonna improve your business with cloud computing, focus on cultural change. Hmm. Cultural change, that is the most important ingredient for success when it comes to, comes to cloud. You know, it’s something that affects your entire organization. It’s a change in the mindset. Mm. Um, it is a linkage between all of your business processes, between understanding the data that you need to deliver your products and services, and the value that your end customers want. And linking that in near real time with real time data. That’s what cloud computing is on about all about. And it’s a, it’s a different mindset.

Scott Luton (00:17:28):

You know, I really appreciate how you approach that. I think a couple of those, a couple of your three items might be very counterintuitive for many of our listeners out there. Mm-hmm. Um, now if folks wanna learn more, uh, I know you’re, you’ve got training, you’ve got books, you’ve got a great new app. Um, yeah. And I think we’ve got a link to that. So how would you invite folks to learn more, um, and, and connect with ep?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:17:50):

Yeah, we just launched the digital business app. Um, it’s available, um, for Android and Apple we’re just went over about 2,500 members, uh, last week. And embedded into that is, uh, training education. You can actually, uh, get, uh, men mentorship, um, services, uh, a lot of the information that we provide on digital transformers about Yep. Um, how to digitally transform, uh, your business and, and your industry. And in the, uh, next, uh, next few weeks or so, we’re actually gonna be, um, launching with the Middle East, uh, and North African Cloud Alliance, a whole new certification. Okay. Uh, called the Cloud Champion, um, about cloud computing. Um, and we’ll be providing continuous professional education, uh, on cloud computing through the app that you can use for other certifications as well. Love it. So, um, hopefully we can put the, uh, link in, uh, for, uh, digital business, the new digital business app.

Scott Luton (00:19:07):

Love it. We’ve got link there in chat, y’all. Check that out. Uh, engage, connect, inform, get educated. It is certainly a revolutionary time. Uh, and, and this week, folks, by the way, uh, stay tuned for an episode that Kevin and I did, um, mm-hmm. With our friends from Intel and, and several others where we focused on yeah,

Kevin L. Jackson (00:19:27):

Microsoft,

Scott Luton (00:19:27):

That’s right. Where we’re focused on what manufacturing leaders have to keep in mind when it comes to cloud computing. So stay tuned for that.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:19:34):

That was a great show actually. I, I, I enjoyed that and learned a lot.

Scott Luton (00:19:38):

I think I left that show with at least three certifications, uh, Kevin <laugh>. So, uh, I really appreciate you sharing and de helping to de demystify how we look at KE cloud computing. Um, all right. So Kevin, we, um, we are two minutes ahead of schedule. How about that? So

Kevin L. Jackson (00:19:56):

I love the way you engineer this stuff, <laugh>,

Scott Luton (00:19:58):

Scott. We try, we try <laugh>. Now the second, the second, Kevin, as you know, the second half of our, uh, discussion here on the supply chain buzz is gonna be much different than the first half, uh, as we’ve been all again watching this disaster unfold in Turkey and, and Syria and that region. So we’ve got two very special guests we wanna bring in here for the next segment. Couple segments of today’s supply chain Buzz. Wanna welcome him in, um, Selin Green Communications lead with the Turkish philanthropy funds, and Koray Kose, senior Director Analyst with Gardner. Hey, Selin, how are you doing?

Selin Kapan-Green (00:20:32):

Hello. Thank you so much, Scott, for having us on here. I’m, uh, I’m okay just like the rest of us. I think the emotions are running high and we we’re all watching from afar and, and, but feeling it as if we are in Turkey currently mm-hmm.

Scott Luton (00:20:48):

<affirmative>. Well, uh, uh, you know, um, that’s a stupid question I should not open with, but it comes from a, um, a, a conversation starter, um, position. If, if, if, uh, you can forgive me. But, and this might go without saying, but really on behalf our entire supply chain, our family won’t extend our prayers and simply to all that are suffering from this heartbreaking disaster. And thanks to you and Koray Kose, good morning. How are you? Doing

Koray Kose (00:21:14):

Well. Well, sir, I am doing well. Um, uh, as si expressed, uh, we trying and thanks to you get a platform to inform, uh, the supply chain leaders here, uh, about what’s unfolding because there is a human aspect to this. As much as there is a supply chain aspect and supply chain can become the source of relief. So, I reached out to you and Kevin, and I’m, uh, very grateful for you providing this platform, and thank you so much for that.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:21:43):

Uh, we’re so happy to be able to be your service.

Scott Luton (00:21:45):

That’s right. Uh, then thank you, Kevin. Uh, echo that, and as part of who we are, you know, um, so thank you, both of you, business leaders that are doing something about it. You know, Karara, you and I had a, uh, a great LinkedIn exchange earlier because, you know, whether it’s about modern slavery, whether it’s about sustainability, whether it’s about educated and next generation, and in this case, responding to a tragedy, uh, admire ac uh, bi, uh, fellow leaders that have a bias for action. So, thanks for being here today to help folks better understand, including how folks can help. So, um, so Lynn, let’s start with you. Um, so tell us about, uh, T P f Turkish Philanthropy Funds and, and what the organization does.

Selin Kapan-Green (00:22:25):

Yeah, thank you. So, Turkish philanthropy funds was established in 2007, and it is a, um, leading charity, um, you know, established to really amplify the voices of Turkish and Turkish Americans living in the US that, uh, wanted to get involved with philanthropy and giving back. Since its inception, we have, um, mobilized over 55 million and invested over 28 million in grants with partners focused on addressing, uh, disaster relief, social economic growth, gender equality, um, environmental needs, and so much more. We also have over 70 plus partners that are NGOs and civil service industries in Turkey, as well as, um, supported over 300 projects and have over 10,000 donors and have helped save or helped touch, uh, over a million lives.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:23:20):

That, that’s, uh, great. You’ve been doing some, uh, great work. I’ve had the opportunity to actually visit Turkey. Uh, I did a, um, a century bike trip, uh, uh, from an Natalia, and, uh, it was just a beautiful country. Wow. Uh, so it was so hard to, to hear about the, the tragedy, tragedy there.

Scott Luton (00:23:40):

Hey, Kevin, if I can interject just for a quick second here. Cause I, Cora, you shared something. Apprecia My apologies. Kevin Cora, you shared something PREA that I think is really important for our listeners, uh, cuz a, as you were identifying how to help and which organization to partner with, I think you and the Gartner team did some research.

Koray Kose (00:23:57):

Yes, we looked at, uh, several funds that have a direct impact on low operations cost, um, thankful to our CSR director also, uh, pointing me into the right direction. That’s how the connection with TPF F started. As Gartner, we provide, um, charity match per employee up to $5,000 and charities donation. Um, and with the help of TPF f we have other, uh, sources of matching it and maximizing your dollar to become two or even more dollars in this, in this environment. So the more, uh, matching and philanthropy we can, uh, channel and, uh, centralize, uh, the better. So I’m really grateful for both organizations to have found each other in collaborating.

Scott Luton (00:24:40):

Agreed. Thank you for that Carras, very important information for our listeners. All right. So Kevin, my apologies. Now let, let’s move forward and learn littlemore with, uh, clin.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:24:51):

Yeah. Um, I was just, uh, saying it’s a beautiful country. I, I, uh, I’ve been, I enjoyed my, my, my time there and it would hurt me to my heart to hear about the, the, the earthquake. Although, I mean, there’s been many, um, earthquakes, uh, I’ve learned recently, um, in that part of the world. But can you gimme, uh, give us an update on the tragedy, right. Um, what are the top priorities, uh, in terms of the, uh, needed relief and aid?

Selin Kapan-Green (00:25:21):

So I really wanna reiterate that this is going to be a long-term recovery mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Yeah. So, you know, we are prioritizing the current needs, but also working with our partners to identify the long-term needs and how to strategize the long-term, um, support. So, uh, as of right now, I mean, I guess, um, there’s, there has been 10 cities that were impacted and thousands of buildings that have collapsed. And over 36,000, um, people have lost their lives and, and the death toll is expected to go up. So what we are working with and how we are working to support is really, we have direct communication to our partners on the ground. So we’re getting in real time updates of what the needs are, uh, where they are and, and how we can support them. So, um, all these partner organizations are vetted organizations and, uh, you know, there’s a process that we go through to get them to be a partner. And then there’s also, um, a outfit platform organization that umbrellas org, uh, nonprofit organizations that work for disaster relief specifically. And we are a part of that umbrella. So we are always in direct communication. Right now, the immediate needs of the survivors are food, fuel, clean water, medicine, shelter, restrooms, heat, and we’re working with our partners to get them those.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:26:48):

Yeah, I guess we got, don’t forget that. I mean, it is the middle of winter. I saw some, uh, videos of the, the snow and it’s just, uh, horrible.

Scott Luton (00:26:58):

Mm-hmm. Hey, kra, you were sharing, and, and thank you for that, uh, clin kra you were sharing pre-show about, um, you know, how important it is to work with vetted folks on the ground on targeted supplies so that other non, you know, less important supplies don’t clog up the relief operations. Can you speak to that briefly while we still have clin here?

Koray Kose (00:27:18):

Yeah. In supply chain terms, it sounds a bit cold, but we call it the second disaster after disaster strikes, clogging up supply chains with, uh, really good intentions, but not necessarily goods that help in that moment. Um, hence we tend to, uh, react quickly thinking that specific goods shipments would be better. But quite honestly, those goods generally prove to be acquired locally better than sent over from basically the other side of the planet. So funding is becoming the currency, or currency becomes the way we can, we can help them, but when utilizing currency, we need to make sure that we put it into the hands that are reputable organizations that don’t necessarily have extremely high operative costs, so that are efficient, and then that they also have a sense for urgency, but longitude of this. So not just making an impact like in the next two weeks and then disappear. We spend 10 million in the next two weeks. Great. And then what’s gonna happen after two weeks? Right? So that balance is really important to be, uh, to be looked for.

Scott Luton (00:28:21):

So, and Cora, that’s where some of the Gartner research into, um, selecting T P F was a good partner and one that, that you would encourage other folks to, um, to connect and support. So that’s very helpful there. Hey, Kevin, I’m gonna circle back to Selen in just a second here as we, as we make sure folks know how to connect and have links and what, and how to support and how to connect and then have links and all. But Kevin, we were just talking on the front end, all the, the bad actors on so many different levels. Digital in real world, you know, real life. Yeah. You know, metaverse, you name it, Kevin here. Everywhere.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:28:55):

Yeah. One, one thing, I know that there’s a GoFundMe, uh, being set up for this, but there’s probably 10, uh, fraudulent GoFundMe on the, uh, internet for everyone that’s, that’s actually, uh, doing the, the right thing and providing value. So be careful. Don’t just, I mean, it, it, it, it plucks at your heartstrings, right? Yes. And you want to give, you want to give, but don’t give it to the bad guys, right? <laugh> mm-hmm. <affirmative> be this vetting is, is critical. And, and Gartner has, has done the right thing, but more important, uh, T P F is didn’t just start when the earthquake did, right? Right. They have a history. They’ve vetted all of their partners, they have established partners in the region route, and, and they have the, the understanding the background, um, to make this happen, to make it, you know, deliver the, the, the value and the, uh, relief that’s necessary.

Scott Luton (00:30:05):

Kevin. Well said. Folks, do your homework. Right? Do your homework, and if you don’t have time, do your homework go with who the. I mean, you know, if Gartner recommends and, and their research team’s done the homework, lean on folks like that. Uh, Celine, uh, if you could speak to some of what we’re talking about in terms of, you know, wanting to make sure every dollar gets with the good actors out there that, that have the ability to, to truly help speak to that a minute, and then also speak to, um, how can folks support what T P F is doing?

Selin Kapan-Green (00:30:34):

Thank you. Yes. So, I, we have a long-term, um, track record with relief. So in, since 2011, we have facilitated more than 3 million in disaster relief donations. And 100% of your donation goes to the vetted organizations on the ground. Um, if you go to our site, you’ll be able to see the past impact reports and our annual reports to see where those, uh, disaster relief efforts and the finances and everything went, and how, who they supported, what they supported to see from the past to kind of showcase what you’ll be seeing coming up from what we’re doing right now. So, if, if, um, you know, if you want to look at that, we also have high ranks from charity evaluators. You can find us on Better Business Bureau. You can find us on Candid, you can find us on Charity Navigator, great Nonprofits. And so we, we have been vetted and we do to the vetting for the organizations on the ground.

Selin Kapan-Green (00:31:32):

We specifically work with organizations, uh, that we have worked with for years and continue to work with those that have been vetted under Offit platform and to make these help. And as far as your second question, what the immediate needs are right now is kind of piggybacking off what Koai said. Um, yes, monetary donations will go further and, and be more supportive because like you said, you know, people want to do something immediately and out of the goodness of their heart. They, they wanna donate whatever they have on hand. But it is a lot easier for us to work with partners on the ground to get those supplies and to get them to the places that are needed than to send from over here, uh, in, in the us. Um, did I answer those all the questions?

Scott Luton (00:32:17):

No, you did. No, I, I can only imagine all that you and your team are absorbing and processing. I mean, this is a, a horrible, horrible, you know, set of circumstances that have to conduct an interview with that as a backdrop. So thank you for your time here today. I wanna be really, uh, pointed with our listeners. Cause folks, we, we wanna make it really easy for you, you to support. If you got $5, if you’ve got $5 million, hey, we’ve got link here, two tfs, uh, Turkey Earthquake Relief Fund. Check that out. I think I shared a graphic a moment ago. Uh, they are talk about ambitious. Imagine the impact they’re gonna make. They’ve almost raised $7 million, $10 million is their goal. They’re connected, they’re vetted. Um, they’re getting limited resources to where they need to go to, to, to people, um, that are suffering from, from this terrible, terrible tragedy. So, um,

Selin Kapan-Green (00:33:12):

Man, one more

Scott Luton (00:33:12):

Thing. I’m please Yeah, please do.

Selin Kapan-Green (00:33:14):

You know, and we work quickly to respond to these needs. We’ve already sent out 10 grants, and you can find that information on our website. So, you know, our, our goal is really to be as quick as possible to respond to these needs, be, uh, in direct communication with our partners, really addressing everything and looking at the long term of it as well. So though we’re focusing currently on the immediate, uh, we are also looking at developing a plan for the future, because this is going to be a long road.

Scott Luton (00:33:45):

Yeah. Excellent point. And we’re gonna, uh, dive in more. We wanna be very respectful of your time here today. Uh, Celine, uh, we’re gonna dive in more into what you mentioned with Cora in just a moment. But, uh, Cora, before we bid ado, I’m gonna get you and Kevin’s, uh, both of your final words here while we still have, uh, CN with us. Uh, Cora, any final words about the, uh, the Noble mission that t that CN and and T P F is on?

Koray Kose (00:34:09):

Yeah, just think about like the size of the team they’re operating and how they’re actually scaling this up, which connects very well, what Kevin says, uh, week after week, that digital business is key to scale up and also to, uh, to have reach new frontiers. So an organization out of the US having such an impact on the other end of the world with funding that is, I mean, like, if, if you look at their expense reports for themselves, what they’re handling is, is, is immense. And so, I wanna say again, the appreciation to sit in and the team that they’re creating such an impact with such a lean operation. And also to all the technology leaders to really, you know, emphasize time. And again, digital business per se, is the ability to scale up your impact positively. And, um, also the last word here. Yes.

Koray Kose (00:35:00):

Um, other people who are opportunistic and negatively utilizing this situation. Absolutely. So the more you can vet, uh, and the more you just take a step back and think before acting, the more your relief will reach the right, uh, people with the, with the right needs at the right point in time. So that’s probably what yeah say. And, and 7 million is amazing. So sit in, I mean, I don’t know, I’m speechless because a week ago, a week ago when I first connected, the goal was a hundred K. Okay? So I thought I was doing great, right? And not, I was doing great, but everybody who was connected with me were doing great. Now, looking at 10 million, that is absolutely amazing. And in a place where, you know, I mean, think about like how much that means. So I, I’m speechless.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:35:48):

Yeah.

Scott Luton (00:35:48):

Yeah. Kevin, your final word.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:35:50):

So, in times like this, it’s really about relationships. It’s the human connection that matters. Now, digital business is a force multiplier for those human relationships. And, and that’s what you saw card gone from a hundred thousand to 10 million. That’s the, the right relationships being, you know, putting, you know, uh, the boost, uh, on the, uh, force multiplier, right? Using Digi, yeah. Using digital technology and digital business, uh, to, to amplify the value of that human relationship and that human connection, uh, that sale and her team has. So, um, thank you for all you do.

Scott Luton (00:36:45):

A absolutely. I wanna echo that. Thank you, Kevin. Thank you, Karara. Uh, Selin, we’ve got the link, direct link. Folks can click this link, take some straight to that donation site where folks can make the donation, and we, of course, really urge, uh, folks do that. Um, but your final word, how can folks, anything else you’d like to share, uh, beyond that link and, uh, invite folks to do challenge, folks to do welcome that here in your final word.

Selin Kapan-Green (00:37:10):

Um, I welcome folks to continue sharing. Um, you know, our impact, the number that you saw there. Actually, it’s probably higher than that because we’ve had a YouTube fundraiser by, um, uh, uh, going on for the last seven days as well. So I think that generated around $600,000 plus the Instagram fundraiser plus o other, other things. So I, we really do believe we will hit our goal of 10 million. But because this is gonna be such a long term, um, rebuilding effort, uh, all donations are welcome, all support is welcome. And thank you so much for having us on here and, and recognizing the work that we’re doing, recognizing the disaster that’s going on. And, and Cora, thank you for your kind words about our team too. Yeah, we are a team of core, so it’s actually every day. I’m so proud of my, our team for all the work and all, uh, the networking and the connections and all those who’ve donated and supported our efforts. So please, uh, follow us on social media to see like realtime updates. And thank you for everything. Thank you.

Scott Luton (00:38:12):

Thank you. Thank you. So Lynn, green communications lead with Turkish philanthropy funds leading a noble mission. Hearts are with you. Let us know. We’ll, we’ll stay connected and thanks for your time here today under these circumstances.

Selin Kapan-Green (00:38:24):

Thank you. Have a great day everyone.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:38:26):

You too,

Scott Luton (00:38:27):

You know, talk about bias for action and outcomes, which of course,

Koray Kose (00:38:31):

And technology, I mean, bring it back to technology. I mean, team of four, everything she mentioned was technology. Mm-hmm. Everything she mentioned was amplifying reach. Like Kevin has saying that for time and again, right? So, mm-hmm. That’s amazing.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:38:46):

Philanthropy is a business model too, right? <laugh>, just what I was talking about before. We’re, we’re on a live stream. This technology is built on top of cloud computing. Yeah. And it’s enabled by cloud computing and digital business. So, uh, I’ll just go back to the, uh, the three tips that, uh, I said

Scott Luton (00:39:08):

Earlier. That’s right. That’s right. Um, okay. So I wanna share a couple quick comments, and then Korah, we’ve got some images that, uh, you and your family had shared with us. We’re gonna walk through as well as getting some of your perspective, uh, on, you know, what we can expect for the weeks and months and years to come. So, uh, really quick folks, you’re gonna hear it probably 17 more times here just in the next 20 minutes. But check out the link to donate directly to T P F, that team of four, the extraordinary team of four. Uh, Amanda’s also dropped the link if you wanna connect with, uh, Celine, uh, do that as well, however you can share and, uh, connect, uh, and support what they’re doing. And Shelly said it well. Shelly says, there must be a special place for people that try to profit off str uh, tr tragedy.

Scott Luton (00:39:52):

Shelly can’t agree more. And unfortunately on every folks try to profit somewhere, uh, about every tragedy, every set of unique, difficult set of circumstances. There’s someone out there looking how to make a buck. That’s a, that’s, that’s, um, that’s unfortunate to say the least. Um, alright, so Kevin and Corry, I want to shift gears here. And I wanna start with, um, we’ve got a collection of, um, well, I’ll tell you what, before we, we walk through the images, lemme make sure I’ve got my, here we are. All right. So let’s walk through these images really quick, Kari and Kevin. Yeah. And tell us, tell us what we’re seeing here. So, Kari,

Koray Kose (00:40:32):

Yeah, that’s the hospital Inai. Um, that’s the front side where generally the, uh, ambulances drive up to the emergency. Um, that picture was taken by my cousin, who’s a medical doctor in ul, and he was, that’s it right there. And he’s part of U M K E, uh, which is the disaster relief, uh, organization. And they basically fly them out, uh, the very day out to the worst region there. And he basically gives, as a first responder, eight to people, they get out of the rubble. That’s basically the front, uh, of where they generally get refreshments. Um, so this is approximately 70 to 80% of the infrastructure is, is destroyed. Um, a early numbers suggest 84 billion. What that means in context is Turkey has a GDP of 819 billion. So 10% of the gdp, uh, is just destroyed. That’s an early, early, uh, uh, um, indication.

Koray Kose (00:41:33):

So what we’re seeing there is just like, uh, part of what Kevin said, um, not following the governance and the amnesty regulations for certain architectural, uh, lacks of design and, and, and basically pushing an economy forward on fast pace and not necessarily checking everything up. Right? If you are in a developing country, an emerging economy, then not everything is done the way, uh, considering everything, right? Or most of the people. And when you think about that, this is the consequence, the ultimate consequence. But at the same point in time, we should not forget about the magnitude of that event. So, uh, there has been platonic shifts. You can see where three four meters, uh, has been platonically shift. There are breaks in the crust about 30 meters wide and 10 meters steep. So, uh, that is,

Scott Luton (00:42:26):

We may have lost Kari, that happens from time to time. We’ll see if we can’t get him reconnected. Uh, Kevin, we saw some very pa Yeah. Powerful images there. Are you, please give us your thoughts as I, we walk through these.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:42:43):

Well, one of the things, uh, KA mentioned the, the impact on the nation’s, uh, G D P, that that’s true, but there’s additional impact based upon the business that has been lost, right? I mean, he was just talking about what has to be replaced, what about all of the value that has been lost while there’s trying to, uh, replace this stuff. And the, the, the country is really not doing that well, uh, before the earthquake. If you look at the rates of inflation in, in Turkey, and, uh, clearly the, uh, war in Ukraine has had, uh, a major impact, um, on trade through the bosphorous, uh, straits. And the, the, the country makes a lot of its income from that as well. So it’s three or four times that the impact is three or four times, uh, what, um, Curry was, what was mentioning. So, um, you know, it, it’s, it’s horrible.

Scott Luton (00:43:53):

Right? I think we’ve got, uh, completely agree. Uh, Kevin, uh, I think we’ve got Ry back. Koai. Sorry for that. Yeah, yeah, you were, sorry. Um, so let’s pick back up. Uh, please finish your thought there, Koai, and then, and then, uh, we’ll move forward.

Koray Kose (00:44:08):

So what I was trying to mention is like, uh, regardless of the strengths of the building, this was of such magnitude that, uh, some scientists claimed this was the biggest earthquake, uh, on a cross, not underneath the sea, um, which makes it so much more impactful. And, uh, the other thing to mention is when you look at the sheer impact zone, it’s about 500 kilometers wide. So I shared one image that I grabbed off, uh, Twitter, uh, which I verified though, um, with the maps. And I checked it. It’s about somewhere between northern New York and all the way to southern Washington. And if you think about the zone of impact, it’s gonna be the biggest construction site on the globe for many years to come with more than 200,000 buildings need to rebuild. So with 10% impact on the G D P, we will see inflationary pressures on the economy.

Koray Kose (00:45:00):

We will see supply chain bottlenecks, especially for fashion industry that has been active, uh, in, in that region. It is also the region where generally the Silk Road from China by rail hits the Mediterranean as an alternative route because Russia is blocked. So when you think about the <inaudible> port, and Greg and yourself has posted about that with the fire going on, that is a huge, uh, uh, choke point for that silk road to hit the Mediterranean. Right? Um, and I’d also, in this context, I don’t wanna forget about the earthquake, not knowing any borders, right? We’re looking at Turkey and Syria, and we’re looking at a area that has been impacted by war anyway. Um, and when we look at Northern Syria and impact there, we don’t know the numbers yet, but some, actually, we already know, we have over 35,000 casualties. Uh, estimates go up to 70,000.

Koray Kose (00:45:54):

So we have a demographic impact too. Um, we have no infrastructure, airports, uh, railroads, uh, think about the, the effort that supply chain is centered around now, because, uh, that’s bringing us back to the why it’s on supply chain now. Because supply chain is the key to relief, right? The supply chain is key to rebuild. Supply chain is also the area that will probably, uh, suck in a lot of those, uh, resources. Think about cement, steel, uh, uh, um, capital equipment, construction equipment. I mean, it’s gonna be all centralized there. This is, this is significant in the magnitude just itself,

Kevin L. Jackson (00:46:35):

Right? Man, this is, uh, this is really, um, uh, it’s kind of hard to get your mind mm-hmm. <affirmative> around the, the impact, uh, of the earthquake in, in Turkey, of course in Syria and the, and the region, but the, the global impact, uh, you mentioned the, the Silk Road. Yes. That, that’s the entryway to Europe. Uh, and I mean, I, I said a minute ago about the Bo Straits, but what about the, uh, the endpoint infrastructure that’s needed, uh, uh, in the, in the region? All that has to be rebuilt before it could actually accept all of those, uh, components they need for rebuilding. So, uh, uh, this is gonna be impact for years, years to come. Any other comments on its impact on the global supply chain?

Scott Luton (00:47:35):

Yeah.

Koray Kose (00:47:36):

On the global supply chain, it definitely will have an impact also in the way Turkey, as much as there is, uh, you know, uh, a very controversial debate about Turkey’s role in the Ukraine invasion, uh, sorry, in the Russian invasion of Ukraine mm-hmm. <affirmative>. Uh, but it was basically one of those steadier communication channels of, uh, NATO and the, uh, supporters of Ukraine, ally force of, uh, basically trying to help Ukraine anyway possible. And the way to talk to Russia about, for example, the grains was all through Turkey. So if Turkey’s priorities shift now internally, significantly due to this crisis, how much of facilitation will they be able to do for the Russian invasion of Ukraine crisis? Right. The grand deal that is so impactful for a lot of people that are strike stricken or, or hit by family. Mm. Um, the same thing comes to, of course, the, uh, the situation in Syria anyways. Yeah. The refugee situation, millions of people displaced on top of more millions to be displaced now. So is that an impact for European immigration? Absolutely. And how is that going to impact supply chains? Uh, the region is also known for aerospace and defense, specifically, you know, drone manufacturing and aircraft, uh, parts and maintenance and automotives. Yep. So when you think about that, these are the places that currently are, uh, basically in focus of, uh, global, global, um, sorry, in public procurement. Yes. What do you think the a and d budgets going on?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:49:10):

Yeah. Right.

Koray Kose (00:49:10):

So that is, I mean, it’s hard to think through, but what we’re seeing is Turkey had one of the highest inflations anyway. Mm-hmm. <affirmative>, now you have a 10% impact on the GDP significantly. You have a demographic crisis, you have a human crisis. How is that gonna then, uh, basically impact other regions? Think about turkey’s activity in northern Africa, right? As a peacekeeping force in Libya, are they going to be able to hold that steady? So there are so many domino effects that we will see in the next six to 12 months to play out, especially when Russia is gearing up their forces again and their attacks in Ukraine. Um, this is pivotal, to be honest, right. At the worst time ever. Right.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:49:52):

And don’t forget nato. Um, Turkey is a NATO wl. That’s right. So,

Koray Kose (00:49:57):

Right.

Scott Luton (00:49:57):

So that’s right. Well, we still have, that’s a good point, Kevin. Um, we still have Kera Carra. We may not have the best connection with you, but that’s okay. Um, I wanna make sure, while we still have you, I wanna make sure we hit on this initiative that you put together mm-hmm. <affirmative>, and I’ve got a, I think I’ve got a graphic here. We’ve got a link. Tell us more about, uh, what inspired you here, what you, what you’re doing here. Yeah.

Koray Kose (00:50:18):

So I wanted to make sure that we provide a platform, like we said, to people who are motivated to quickly align maybe an initiative trust, because in this moment of time, trust is of biggest value for any activity. So you would give, you know, your money to the people you trust most. Right? And, and I thought maybe people trust me in a way that they, they, they have created a, a voice, a network here. And then also looking at the vetting in, in, through Gartner, um, helped me to get that confidence with the partner that I wanted to choose for this effort. And, um, yeah, I mean, I was surprised that I was getting so much traction too, because, um, sometimes people just too busy, right? They read the news and walk on, but this has such a magnitude that, that I thought, you know, then finding the right patent partner to maximize the dollar.

Koray Kose (00:51:11):

And I have to really say tpf four people. I mean, how they got the CEO of Chobani donate a million dollar just in the beginning of the second gig was amazing, and then another million dollar just to match. I mean, and they’re continuing to do that is amazing. So I’m lucky to have found them. Um, and, um, again, it’s not about me at all. Right? Go onto TPF site and donate there. Um, if you like, need to do the work and, you know, collect it and send it, and I, I’m happy to do that, but it was more like, like, like Scott said, right? We cannot be deaf on it. And if we’re in supply chain here, we’re basically touching every, that was a little bit, um, the motivation behind.

Scott Luton (00:51:54):

Well, Cora, thank you very much for what you do. Um, uh, as I, as I mentioned as Amanda pointed out, Kevin, I mean, goodness gracious, I, I love how Cora is really making it about T P F, which of course we wanna lift that up too, but Ry yes, you have raised over $12,000 already. And I think a big portion of that, as I think you mentioned, will be matched by Gartner, if I’m not mistaken. Is that right? Cor Karara.

Koray Kose (00:52:20):

So the total reach will be doubling this thanks to TPSs and Chobani’s effort. So this will become $25,000. Wow. And then on top of that, you know, because Gartner has a text limitation, but if you compare, like, you know, those benefits are great, 5,000 for anything you are charity approved. So on top of that five, so we’re looking right now at 30,000. So it, it’s, that’s like how the scaling app about digital business happens, right? So yes, I was only able to collect 12, but it makes it 30. How? Well, don’t ask me, right? <laugh>, <laugh>,

Scott Luton (00:52:53):

Ask

Koray Kose (00:52:54):

Kevin knows how ok. And, uh, trust in this moment caters everything. Yeah. And digital scales, the ability for transparency and your ability of reach. So that’s basically a perfect example. 12 makes 30, right? How do you do that?

Scott Luton (00:53:11):

So let’s get really quick, I have two final questions for Carra before we, uh, let him go. I’m sure he is got a really busy Monday. Uh, Kevin, first you respond to what Carras sharing there and what he’s doing, his leadership. I mean, you know, this is, the industry needs more folks like Carrara, right?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:53:28):

Well, it’s, it’s all about having that bias towards action. So I, I applaud you, uh, Carra, right? Um, and the other aspect of it is his network is multiplying his efforts. And, and once again, it’s, it’s the human combined with the digital technology. Yes. That gives you that, that extra, you know? Yeah. So that force multiplier. So, uh, that’s good. That’s good.

Scott Luton (00:54:00):

Love it. Okay, so karate, we’ve got link again. We, we’ve shared a T P F information. We’ve shared Amanda shared a link to, to your, uh, effort. I really admire that. Um, let, I didn’t catch your cousin’s name, who’s there in Turkey? What was your cousin’s name again?

Koray Kose (00:54:19):

His name is Emmy.

Scott Luton (00:54:21):

Emmy.

Koray Kose (00:54:22):

Emmy Emmi. Yeah. And that in translation means basically the one who is sure about what he’s doing. Mm.

Scott Luton (00:54:27):

<laugh>. So,

Koray Kose (00:54:28):

I mean, there you go. He’s living up to his name, you know? Yeah. He’s very sure about what he is doing.

Scott Luton (00:54:33):

Well, yeah. God speed. Amin, that’s there involved, thank you. Boots on ground in the relief operations, and we need more people like him as well. Clearly it’s in the blood, in, in the koi, uh, family. I really appreciate that. Finally, one final question. I think I’m getting put a bonus one, but how can folks connect with you otherwise? Would you suggest LinkedIn maybe?

Koray Kose (00:54:53):

Absolutely. I, I, I cherish LinkedIn to be such an easy connecting tool, but also email me, reach out, um, you know, it’s, uh, first name dot lastname gartner.com. Email me if you have any questions. Uh, ping me on LinkedIn. And um, yeah, uh, again, if you have a dollar, a dollar becomes $3. So don’t be shy of wow. Uh, helping. If you send thoughts and prayers, believe me, there is, uh, there is that, uh, impact, you know, um, because what I saw this morning was 180 hours, uh, somebody trapped, right? And they’re still getting them out. Generally speaking, hope is diminishing after 72 hours underneath the rubble, hundred 80 hours later, people are resilient, right? So supply chains needs to be resilient to help the people who are agreed fighting for their lives, literally, right?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:55:44):

I’d like to do a, a shout out to the, uh, Fairfax, uh, first responder team in my local area that flew in. They flew fly into all of the, uh, disasters, but they’re there on the ground, uh, from, uh, Fairfax, Virginia, uh, pulling people, uh, out of that, that, that, uh, those

Koray Kose (00:56:03):

Buildings. Amazing. Yep. Amazing.

Scott Luton (00:56:06):

Um, alright. So big thanks, Karara. Wish we had more time. We’ll, we’ll be of course, staying in touch and staying on top of, uh, uh, the relief operations. Big thanks again for you and Celine joining us on short notice here today. Uh, Karara Jose, senior Director Analyst with Gartner. Thank you so much, Kari. Thank

Koray Kose (00:56:23):

You. You guys have a big heart and you walk the talks. Thank

Scott Luton (00:56:26):

You, Scott. Thank you, KA. We’ll talk soon. Oh, Kevin, you know, every once in a while we have a conversation here, uh, that I’ll be, I’ll be very frank and transparent. I struggle with how to work through because of suffering and the, the sensitivities and, and, um, and just, just a whole situation in today’s, uh, buzz episode. Certainly hit me like that with like a ton of bricks. Uh, but, but good. Yeah. What makes it easier, Kevin, I’d love to get you to respond, is you lean into the story of the good people like Celine and Kari, and men that are out, I mean, that are out there helping, helping first, you know, seeking to help first. Um, and that’s, that really helps you get through any conversation, right?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:57:14):

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. It’s very emotional. Um, and you, you can, you can think about disasters that have affected your family and extended family, so your heart really goes out, uh, to what, what’s going on. But I, I’d like to also thank you, Scott, okay. For making a decision. It was a very rapid decision, uh, to leverage your, your powerful platform, uh, to support, uh, the this effort, which is, uh, sorely needed. So, uh, thank you and the entire, uh, supply chain now team.

Scott Luton (00:57:51):

Yeah. Hey, I appreciate that. Big thanks Amanda and Catherine and Donna and Joshua and Chantel, all those folks that, that, uh, moved with us and that helped make production happen so we could do this, right? So important. Yeah. Um, okay. So Kevin, uh, on a much, much lighter note, folks, we dropped all links in there. Please, if you can afford to give anything, please, uh, take a moment and do that. So needed. Uh, and if you don’t, you know, select Corry or or T P F, make sure, as we’ve talked about, make sure you do your homework. Uh, there’s tons of bad actors that, um, yeah, are there to make a buck, but Kevin, um, mm-hmm. <affirmative> digital Transformers. We to, we touched on, um, one of an upcoming conversations, but, uh, how can folks connect with you and, and the app and all the good things you’re doing at, at, uh, digital Transformers?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:58:37):

Well, I’m actually gonna be in, uh, San Francisco in real life, I r l, um, in the next couple of weeks, uh, attending the N T t, uh, upgrade reality, um, on, uh, 14th of March. So you can catch the I r L there. But online, uh, digital transformers here on, uh, supply chain now, uh, Twitter, Kevin underscore Jackson, and you can always hit me up on, uh, LinkedIn. So, uh, I’ll be around

Scott Luton (00:59:10):

<laugh>. Yes, you’ll, well, hey, really appreciate your, uh, I know, um, we kind of reworked what our game plan was here today. Thank you for, for not only, um, uh, working with, uh, uh, the, uh, being flexible, but also helping to support the conversation and, and, uh, and, and from this point forward as we replay, uh, Ry and Celine’s, uh, mission and how folks can connect, um, with that, how

Kevin L. Jackson (00:59:35):

Dare you insult me. How dare you insult me like that? I’m not flexible. I’m fluid baby. I’m fluid <laugh> <laugh>,

Scott Luton (00:59:43):

What a great way to wrap up today’s show. So we don’t need flexibility in industry. We need fluidity, and we need risk. And kidding aside, we need leaders like Koray and Selen and their respective teams that respond quickly with, uh, good purpose, noble mission, kindred spirits, and most importantly, the outcomes, the help folks out there, uh, when we in, when we, uh, have these disasters and tragedies. So, with all of that said, thank you for tuning in here on this, this very unique episode of Supply Chain Buzz. Kevin, thanks for your time again here today. Thank you.

Kevin L. Jackson (01:00:18):

Yes, you bet. Absolutely. Thank you.

Scott Luton (01:00:20):

And to all of our listeners out there, whatever you do, hey, it’s about taking action, right? Deeds, not words. Connect with, with one of these initiatives here. Or if, if not one of these, you know, find a different way to help. But whatever you do, Scott Luton, challenging you to do good, to give forward and to be the change. We’ll see you next time, right back here on Supply Chain now. Thanks your buddy.

Intro/Outro (01:00:43):

Thanks for being a part of our supply chain now, community. Check out all of our programming@supplychainnow.com and make sure you subscribe to Supply Chain now, anywhere you listen to podcasts, and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. See you next time on Supply Chain. Now.

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Featured Guests

Selin Kapan-Green serves as the Communications Lead at Turkish Philanthropy Funds. She graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Minor in History. With more than seven years of experience, she is an experienced external communication professional in the non-profit sector. Connect with Selin on LinkedIn.

Koray Köse is currently the Chief Industry Officer for Everstream Analytics, and formerly a Senior Director Analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain Operations team. Koray has written articles for and has been quoted in publications such as The New York Times, The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, The Washington Post, exame.,Financial Management Magazine, ABC News, SupplyChainBrain, ISM Magazine, and Supply Chain Management Review, and has appearances as a guest speaker on television news channels such as CNBC and CNA. He is also a participating member of the NATO 2030: NATO-Private Sector Dialogues that is facilitated by GLOBSEC. Koray joined Gartner with 20+ years of experience in global procurement and supply management consulting across different industries such as automotive, manufacturing, life sciences, and the financial industry. His prior experience includes expert and leadership roles in supply chain and procurement at companies and institutions such as Volkswagen AG, Scania, Bose, Biogen, AstraZeneca, Philips, A.T. Kearney, proAlpha, and the Federal Reserve. Connect with Koray on LinkedIn.

Hosts

Scott W. Luton

Founder, CEO, & Host

Kevin L. Jackson

Host, Digital Transformers

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Demo Perez

Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol

Demo Perez started his career in 1997 in the industry by chance when a relative asked him for help for two just weeks putting together an operation for FedEx Express at the Colon Free Zone, an area where he was never been but accepted the challenge. Worked in all roles possible from a truck driver to currier to a sales representative, helped the brand introduction, market share growth and recognition in the Colon Free Zone, at the end of 1999 had the chance to meet and have a chat with Fred Smith ( FedEx CEO), joined another company in 2018 who took over the FedEx operations as Operations and sales manager, in 2004 accepted the challenge from his company to leave the FedEx operations and business to take over the operation and business of DHL Express, his major competitor and rival so couldn’t say no, by changing completely its operation model in the Free Zone. In 2005 started his first entrepreneurial journey by quitting his job and joining two friends to start a Freight Forwarding company. After 8 months was recruited back by his company LSP with the General Manager role with the challenge of growing the company and make it fully capable warehousing 3PL. By 2009 joined CSCMP and WERC and started his journey of learning and growing his international network and high-level learning. In 2012 for the first time joined a local association ( the Panama Maritime Chamber) and worked in the country’s first Logistics Strategy plan, joined and lead other associations ending as president of the Panama Logistics Council in 2017. By finishing his professional mission at LSP with a company that was 8 times the size it was when accepted the role as GM with so many jobs generated and several young professionals coached, having great financial results, took the decision to move forward and start his own business from scratch by the end of 2019. with a friend and colleague co-founded IPL Group a company that started as a boutique 3PL and now is gearing up for the post-Covid era by moving to the big leagues.

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Mary Kate Love

VP, Marketing

Mary Kate Love is currently the VP of marketing at Supply Chain Now focused on brand strategy and audience + revenue growth. Mary Kate’s career is a testament to her versatility and innovative spirit: she has experience in start-ups, venture capital, and building innovation initiatives from the ground up: she previously helped lead the build-out of the Supply Chain Innovation Center at Georgia-Pacific and before that, MxD (Manufacturing times Digital): the Department of Defense’s digital manufacturing innovation center. Mary Kate has a passion for taking complicated ideas and turning them into reality: she was one of the first team members at MxD and the first team member at the Supply Chain Innovation Center at Georgia-Pacific.

Mary Kate dedicates her extra time to education and mentorship: she was one of the founding Board Members for Women Influence Chicago and led an initiative for a city-wide job shadow day for young women across Chicago tech companies and was previously on the Board of Directors at St. Laurence High School in Chicago, Young Irish Fellowship Board and the UN Committee for Women. Mary Kate is the founder of National Supply Chain Day and enjoys co-hosting podcasts at Supply Chain Now. Mary Kate is from the south side of Chicago, a mom of two baby boys, and an avid 16-inch softball player. She holds a BS in Political Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

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Joshua Miranda

Marketing Specialist

Joshua is a student from Institute of Technology and Higher Education of Monterrey Campus Guadalajara in Communication and Digital Media. His experience ranges from Plug and Play México, DearDoc, and Nissan México creating unique social media marketing campaigns and graphics design. Joshua helps to amplify the voice of supply chain here at Supply Chain Now by assisting in graphic design, content creation, asset logistics, and more.  In his free time he likes to read and write short stories as well as watch movies and television series.

Donna Krache

Director of Communications and Executive Producer

Donna Krache is a former CNN executive producer who has won several awards in journalism and communication, including three Peabodys.  She has 30 years’ experience in broadcast and digital journalism. She led the first production team at CNN to convert its show to a digital platform. She has authored many articles for CNN and other media outlets. She taught digital journalism at Georgia State University and Arizona State University. Krache holds a bachelor’s degree in government from the College of William and Mary and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of New Orleans. She is a serious sports fan who loves the Braves. She is president of the Dave Krache Foundation. Named in honor of her late husband, this non-profit pays fees for kids who want to play sports but whose parents are facing economic challenges.

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Vicki White

Controller

Vicki has a long history of rising to challenges and keeping things up and running. First, she supported her family’s multi-million dollar business as controller for 12 years, beginning at the age of 17. Then, she worked as an office manager and controller for a wholesale food broker. But her biggest feat? Serving as the chief executive officer of her household, while her entrepreneur husband travelled the world extensively. She fed, nurtured, chaperoned, and chauffeured three daughters all while running a newsletter publishing business and remaining active in her community as a Stephen’s Minister, Sunday school teacher, school volunteer, licensed realtor and POA Board president (a title she holds to this day). A force to be reckoned with in the office, you might think twice before you meet Vicki on the tennis court! When she’s not keeping the books balanced at Supply Chain Now or playing tennis matches, you can find Vicki spending time with her husband Greg, her 4 fur babies, gardening, cleaning (yes, she loves to clean!) and learning new things.

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Katherine Hintz

Creative Director, Producer, Host

Katherine Hintz, MBA is a marketing professional who strives to unite her love of people with a passion for positive experiences. Having a diverse background, which includes nonprofit work with digital marketing and start-ups, she serves as a leader who helps people live their most creative lives by cultivating community, order, collaboration, and respect. With equal parts creativity and analytics, she brings a unique skill set which fosters refining, problem solving, and connecting organizations with their true vision. In her free time, you can usually find her looking for her cup of coffee, playing with her puppy Charlie, and dreaming of her next road trip.

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Kim Reuter

Host, The Freight Insider

From humble beginnings working the import docks, representing Fortune 500 giants, Ford, Michelin Tire, and Black & Decker; to Amazon technology patent holder and Nordstrom Change Leader, Kimberly Reuter has designed, implemented, and optimized best-in-class, highly scalable global logistics and retail operations all over the world. Kimberly’s ability to set strategic vision supported by bomb-proof processes, built on decades of hands-on experience, has elevated her to legendary status. Sought after by her peers and executives for her intellectual capital and keen insights, Kimberly is a thought leader in the retail logistics industry.

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Kristi Porter

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Kristi Porter is VP of Sales and Marketing at Vector Global Logistics, a company that is changing the world through supply chain. In her role, she oversees all marketing efforts and supports the sales team in doing what they do best. In addition to this role, she is the Chief Do-Gooder at Signify, which assists nonprofits and social impact companies through copywriting and marketing strategy consulting. She has almost 20 years of professional experience, and loves every opportunity to help people do more good.

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Sofia Rivas Herrera

Host, Supply Chain Now en Espanol

Sofia Rivas Herrera is a Mexican Industrial Engineer from Tecnologico de Monterrey class 2019. Upon graduation, she earned a scholarship to study MIT’s Graduate Certificate in Logistics and Supply Chain Management and graduated as one of the Top 3 performers of her class in 2020. She also has a multicultural background due to her international academic experiences at Singapore Management University and Kühne Logistics University in Hamburg. Sofia self-identifies as a Supply Chain enthusiast & ambassador sharing her passion for the field in her daily life.

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Katherine Hintz

Sales and Marketing Coordinator

Katherine is a marketing professional and MBA candidate who strives to unite her love of people with a passion for positive experiences. Having a diverse background, which includes nonprofit work with digital marketing and start-ups, she serves as a leader who helps people live their most creative lives by cultivating community, order, collaboration, and respect. With equal parts creativity and analytics, she brings a unique skill set which fosters refining, problem solving, and connecting organizations with their true vision. In her free time, you can usually find her looking for her cup of coffee, playing with her puppy Charlie, and dreaming of her next road trip.

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Kim Winter

Host, Supply Chain Now

The founder of Logistics Executive Group, Kim Winter delivers 40 years of executive leadership experience spanning Executive Search & Recruitment, Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, Corporate Advisory, Motivational Speaking, Trade Facilitation and across the Supply Chain, Logistics, 3PL, E-commerce, Life Science, Cold Chain, FMCG, Retail, Maritime, Defence, Aviation, Resources, and Industrial sectors. Operating from the company’s global offices, he is a regular contributor of thought leadership to industry and media, is a professional Master of Ceremonies, and is frequently invited to chair international events.

He is a Board member of over a dozen companies throughout APAC, India, and the Middle East, a New Zealand citizen, he holds formal resident status in Australia and the UAE, and is the Australia & New Zealand representative for the UAE Government-owned Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), the Middle East’s largest Economic Free Zone.

A triathlete and ex-professional rugby player, Kim is a qualified (IECL Sydney) executive coach and the Founder / Chairman of the successful not for profit humanitarian organization, Oasis Africa (www. oasisafrica.org.au), which has provided freedom from poverty through education to over 8000 mainly orphaned children in East Africa’s slums. Kim holds an MBA and BA from Massey & Victoria Universities (NZ).

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Adrian Purtill

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Adrian Purtill serves as Business Development Manager at Vector Global Logistics, where he consults with importers and exporters in various industries to match their specific shipping requirements with the most effective supply chain solutions. Vector Global Logistics is an asset-free, multi-modal logistics company that provides exceptional sea freight, air freight, truck, rail, general logistic services and consulting for our clients. Our highly trained and professional team is committed to providing creative and effective solutions, always exceeding our customer’s expectations and fostering long-term relationships. With more than 20+ years of experience in both strategy consulting and logistics, Vector Global Logistics is your best choice to proactively minimize costs while having an exceptional service level.

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Kevin Brown

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Kevin Brown is the Director of Business Development for Vector Global Logistics.  He has a dedicated interest in Major Account Management, Enterprise Sales, and Corporate Leadership. He offers 25 years of exceptional experience and superior performance in the sales of Logistics, Supply Chain, and Transportation Management. Kevin is a dynamic, high-impact, sales executive and corporate leader who has consistently exceeded corporate goals. He effectively coordinates multiple resources to solution sell large complex opportunities while focusing on corporate level contacts across the enterprise. His specialties include targeting and securing key accounts by analyzing customer’s current business processes and developing solutions to meet their corporate goals. Connect with Kevin on LinkedIn.

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Jose Miguel Irarrazaval

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Jose Manuel Irarrazaval es parte del equipo de Vector Global Logistics Chile. José Manuel es un gerente experimentado con experiencia en finanzas corporativas, fusiones y adquisiciones, financiamiento y reestructuración, inversión directa y financiera, tanto en Chile como en el exterior. José Manuel tiene su MBA de la Universidad de Pennsylvania- The Wharton School. Conéctese con Jose Manuel en LinkedIn.

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Nick Roemer

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Nick Roemer has had a very diverse and extensive career within design and sales over the last 15 years stretching from China, Dubai, Germany, Holland, UK, and the USA. In the last 5 years, Nick has developed a hawk's eye for sustainable tech and the human-centric marketing and sales procedures that come with it. With his far-reaching and strong network within the logistics industry, Nick has been able to open new avenues and routes to market within major industries in the USA and the UAE. Nick lives by the ethos, “Give more than you take." His professional mission is to make the logistics industry leaner, cleaner and greener.

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Allison Giddens

Host, Logistics with Purpose

Allison Krache Giddens has been with Win-Tech, a veteran-owned small business and aerospace precision machine shop, for 15 years, recently buying the company from her mentor and Win-Tech’s Founder, Dennis Winslow. She and her business partner, John Hudson now serve as Co-Presidents, leading the 33-year old company through the pandemic.

She holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and criminal justice from the University of Georgia, a Masters in Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University, a Masters in Manufacturing from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Certificate of Finance from the University of Georgia. She also holds certificates in Google Analytics, event planning, and Cybersecurity Risk Management from Harvard online. Allison founded the Georgia Chapter of Women in Manufacturing and currently serves as Treasurer. She serves on the Chattahoochee Technical College Foundation Board as its Secretary, the liveSAFE Resources Board of Directors as Resource Development Co-Chair, and on the Leadership Cobb Alumni Association Board as Membership Chair and is also a member of Cobb Executive Women. She is on the Board for the Cobb Chamber of Commerce’s Northwest Area Councils. Allison runs The Dave Krache Foundation, a non-profit that helps pay sports fees for local kids in need.

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Billy Taylor

Host of Dial P for Procurement

Billy Taylor is a Proven Business Excellence Practitioner and Leadership Guru with over 25 years leading operations for a Fortune 500 company, Goodyear. He is also the CEO of LinkedXL (Excellence), a Business Operating Systems Architecting Firm dedicated to implementing sustainable operating systems that drive sustainable results. Taylor’s achievements in the industry have made him a Next Generational Lean pacesetter with significant contributions.

An American business executive, Taylor has made a name for himself as an innovative and energetic industry professional with an indispensable passion for his craft of operational excellence. His journey started many years ago and has worked with renowned corporations such as The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. (GT) leading multi-site operations. With over 3 decades of service leading North America operations, he is experienced in a deeply rooted process driven approach in customer service, process integrity for sustainability.

A disciple of continuous improvement, Taylor’s love for people inspires commitment to helping others achieve their full potential. He is a dynamic speaker and hosts "The Winning Link," a popular podcast centered on business and leadership excellence with the #1 rated Supply Chain Now Network. As a leadership guru, Taylor has earned several invitations to universities, international conferences, global publications, and the U.S. Army to demonstrate how to achieve and sustain effective results through cultural acceptance and employee ownership. Leveraging the wisdom of his business acumen, strong influence as a speaker and podcaster Taylor is set to release "The Winning Link" book under McGraw Hill publishing in 2022. The book is a how-to manual to help readers understand the management of business interactions while teaching them how to Deine, Align, and Execute Winning in Business.

A servant leader, Taylor, was named by The National Diversity Council as one of the Top 100 Diversity Officers in the country in 2021. He features among Oklahoma's Most Admired CEOs and maintains key leadership roles with the Executive Advisory Board for The Shingo Institute "The Nobel Prize of Operations" and The Association of Manufacturing Excellence (AME); two world-leading organizations for operational excellence, business development, and cultural learning.  He is also an Independent Director for the M-D Building Products Board, a proud American manufacturer of quality products since 1920.

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Lori Sofian

Marketing Coordinator

Lori is currently completing a degree in marketing with an emphasis in digital marketing at the University of Georgia. When she’s not supporting the marketing efforts at Supply Chain Now, you can find her at music festivals – or working toward her dream goal of a fashion career. Lori is involved in many extracurricular activities and appreciates all the learning experiences UGA has brought her.

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Chantel King

Social Media Manager

My name is Chantel King and I am the Social Media Specialist at Supply Chain Now. My job is to make sure our audience is engaged and educated on the abundant amount of information the supply chain industry has to offer.

Social Media and Communications has been my niche ever since I graduated from college at The Academy of Art University in San Francisco. No, I am not a West Coast girl. I was born and raised in New Jersey, but my travel experience goes way beyond the garden state. My true passion is in creating editorial and graphic content that influences others to be great in whatever industry they are in. I’ve done this by working with lifestyle, financial, and editorial companies by providing resources to enhance their businesses.

Another passion of mine is trying new things. Whether it’s food, an activity, or a sport. I would like to say that I am an adventurous Taurus that never shies away from a new quest or challenge.

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Trisha Cordes

Administrative Assistant

Trisha is new to the supply chain industry – but not to podcasting. She’s an experienced podcast manager and virtual assistant who also happens to have 20 years of experience as an elementary school teacher. It’s safe to say, she’s passionate about helping people, and she lives out that passion every day with the Supply Chain Now team, contributing to scheduling and podcast production.

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Clay Phillips

Business Development Manager

Clay is passionate about two things: supply chain and the marketing that goes into it. Recently graduated with a degree in marketing at the University of Georgia, Clay got his start as a journalism major and inaugural member of the Owl’s football team at Kennesaw State University – but quickly saw tremendous opportunity in the Terry College of Business. He’s already putting his education to great use at Supply Chain Now, assisting with everything from sales and brand strategy to media production. Clay has contributed to initiatives such as our leap into video production, the guest blog series, and boosting social media presence, and after nearly two years in Supply Chain Now’s Marketing Department, Clay now heads up partnership and sales initiatives with the help of the rest of the Supply Chain Now sales team.

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Amanda Luton

Vice President, Production

Amanda is a production and marketing veteran and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience across a variety of industries and organizations including Von Maur, Anthropologie, AmericasMart Atlanta, and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Amanda currently manages, produces, and develops modern digital content for Supply Chain Now and their clients. Amanda has previously served as the VP of Information Systems and Webmaster on the Board of Directors for APICS Savannah, and founded and managed her own successful digital marketing firm, Magnolia Marketing Group. When she’s not leading the Supply Chain Now production team, you can find Amanda in the kitchen, reading, listening to podcasts, or enjoying time with family.

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Constantine Limberakis

Host

Constantine Limberakis is a thought leader in the area of procurement and supply management. He has over 20 years of international experience, playing strategic roles in a wide spectrum of organizations related to analyst advisory, consulting, product marketing, product development, and market research.Throughout his career, he's been passionate about engaging global business leaders and the broader analyst and technology community with strategic content, speaking engagements, podcasts, research, webinars, and industry articles.Constantine holds a BA in History from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and an MBA in Finance & Marketing / Masters in Public & International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.

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Mary Kate Soliva

Host, Veteran Voices

Mary Kate Soliva is a veteran of the US Army and cofounder of the Guam Human Rights Initiative. She is currently in the Doctor of Criminal Justice program at Saint Leo University. She is passionate about combating human trafficking and has spent the last decade conducting training for military personnel and the local community.

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Kelly Barner

Host of Dial P for Procurement

Kelly is the Owner and Managing Director of Buyers Meeting Point and MyPurchasingCenter. She has been in procurement since 2003, starting as a practitioner and then as the Associate Director of Consulting at Emptoris. She has covered procurement news, events, publications, solutions, trends, and relevant economics at Buyers Meeting Point since 2009. Kelly is also the General Manager at Art of Procurement and Business Survey Chair for the ISM-New York Report on Business. Kelly has her MBA from Babson College as well as an MS in Library and Information Science from Simmons College and she has co-authored three books: ‘Supply Market Intelligence for Procurement Professionals’, ‘Procurement at a Crossroads’, and ‘Finance Unleashed’.

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Enrique Alvarez

Host of Logistics with Purpose and Supply Chain Now en Español

Enrique serves as Managing Director at Vector Global Logistics and believes we all have a personal responsibility to change the world. He is hard working, relationship minded and pro-active. Enrique trusts that the key to logistics is having a good and responsible team that truly partners with the clients and does whatever is necessary to see them succeed. He is a proud sponsor of Vector’s unique results-based work environment and before venturing into logistics he worked for the Boston Consulting Group (BCG). During his time at BCG, he worked in different industries such as Telecommunications, Energy, Industrial Goods, Building Materials, and Private Banking. His main focus was always on the operations, sales, and supply chain processes, with case focus on, logistics, growth strategy, and cost reduction. Prior to joining BCG, Enrique worked for Grupo Vitro, a Mexican glass manufacturer, for five years holding different positions from sales and logistics manager to supply chain project leader in charge of five warehouses in Colombia.

He has an MBA from The Wharton School of Business and a BS, in Mechanical Engineer from the Technologico de Monterrey in Mexico. Enrique’s passions are soccer and the ocean, and he also enjoys traveling, getting to know new people, and spending time with his wife and two kids, Emma and Enrique.

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Kevin L. Jackson

Host of Digital Transformers

Kevin L. Jackson is a globally recognized Thought Leader, Industry Influencer and Founder/Author of the award winning “Cloud Musings” blog.  He has also been recognized as a “Top 5G Influencer” (Onalytica 2019, Radar 2020), a “Top 50 Global Digital Transformation Thought Leader” (Thinkers 360 2019) and provides strategic consulting and integrated social media services to AT&T, Intel, Broadcom, Ericsson and other leading companies. Mr. Jackson’s commercial experience includes Vice President J.P. Morgan Chase, Worldwide Sales Executive for IBM and SAIC (Engility) Director Cloud Solutions. He has served on teams that have supported digital transformation projects for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the US Intelligence Community.  Kevin’s formal education includes a MS Computer Engineering from Naval Postgraduate School; MA National Security & Strategic Studies from Naval War College; and a BS Aerospace Engineering from the United States Naval Academy. Internationally recognizable firms that have sponsored articles authored by him include CiscoMicrosoft, Citrix and IBM.  Books include “Click to Transform” (Leaders Press, 2020), “Architecting Cloud Computing Solutions” (Packt, 2018), and “Practical Cloud Security: A Cross Industry View” (Taylor & Francis, 2016). He also delivers online training through Tulane UniversityO’Reilly MediaLinkedIn Learning, and Pluralsight.  Mr. Jackson retired from the U.S. Navy in 1994, earning specialties in Space Systems EngineeringCarrier Onboard Delivery Logistics and carrier-based Airborne Early Warning and Control. While active, he also served with the National Reconnaissance Office, Operational Support Office, providing tactical support to Navy and Marine Corps forces worldwide.

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Tyler Ward

Director of Sales

Tyler Ward serves as Supply Chain Now's Director of Sales. Born and raised in Mid-Atlantic, Tyler is a proud graduate of Shippensburg University where he earned his degree in Communications. After college, he made his way to the beautiful state of Oregon, where he now lives with his wife and daughter.

With over a decade of experience in sales, Tyler has a proven track record of exceeding targets and leading high-performing teams. He credits his success to his ability to communicate effectively with customers and team members alike, as well as his strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.

When he's not closing deals, you can find Tyler on the links or cheering on his favorite football and basketball teams. He also enjoys spending time with his family, playing pick-up basketball, and traveling back to Ocean City, Maryland, his favorite place!

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Chris Barnes

Principal, Supply Chain Now
Host of Supply Chain is Boring

Talk about world-class: Chris is one of the few professionals in the world to hold CPIM-F, CLTD-F and CSCP-F designations from ASCM/APICS. He’s also the APICS coach – and our resident Supply Chain Doctor. When he’s not hosting programs with Supply Chain Now, he’s sharing supply chain knowledge on the APICS Coach Youtube channel or serving as a professional education instructor for the Georgia Tech Supply Chain & Logistic Institute’s Supply Chain Management (SCM) program and University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Center for Professional Education courses.

Chris earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Bradley University, an MBA with emphasis in Industrial Psychology from the University of West Florida, and is a Doctoral in Supply Chain Management candidate.

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Greg White

Principal & CMO, Supply Chain Now
Host of Supply Chain Now and TECHquila Sunrise

When rapid-growth technology companies, venture capital and private equity firms are looking for advisory, they call Greg – a founder, board director, advisor and catalyst of disruptive B2B technology and supply chain. An insightful visionary, Greg guides founders, investors and leadership teams in creating breakthroughs to gain market exposure and momentum – increasing overall company esteem and valuation.

Greg is a founder himself, creating Blue Ridge Solutions, a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader in cloud-native supply chain applications, and bringing to market Curo, a field service management solution. He has also held leadership roles with Servigistics (PTC) and E3 Corporation (JDA/Blue Yonder). As a principal and host at Supply Chain Now, Greg helps guide the company’s strategic direction, hosts industry leader discussions, community livestreams, and all in addition to executive producing and hosting his original YouTube channel and podcast, TEChquila Sunrise.

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Scott W. Luton

Founder, CEO, & Host

As the founder and CEO of Supply Chain Now, you might say Scott is the voice of supply chain – but he’s too much of a team player to ever claim such a title. One thing’s for sure: he’s a tried and true supply chain expert. With over 15 years of experience in the end-to-end supply chain, Scott’s insights have appeared in major publications including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and CNN. He has also been named a top industry influencer by Thinkers360, ISCEA and more.

From 2009-2011, Scott was president of APICS Atlanta, and he continues to lead initiatives that support both the local business community and global industry. A United States Air Force Veteran, Scott has also regularly led efforts to give back to his fellow veteran community since his departure from active duty in 2002.

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